Hitherto, preliminary operations (precooling and preheating) have been proposed to start up an air-conditioning apparatus air-conditioning apparatus prior to a designated time such that an indoor temperature reaches a target temperature at the designated time. In such a proposal, a preliminary operation time and a rotation speed of a compressor are calculated and set depending on the temperature of outside air (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
Furthermore, with growing awareness of power saving, attention has recently be focused on a smart house in which home electrical appliances are monitored and controlled by a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) to utilize energy with high efficiency. In the case of cooking, for example, an air-conditioning apparatus is previously operated to precool or preheat a room prior to using an IH (Induction Heating) cooking heater or an range grill. As a result, peak power can be suppressed, and power consumption can be leveled.